The study was carried out for stochastic modeling of reference crop evapotranspiration values estimated by Penman-Monteith method from daily records of climatic parameters. Seasonal ARIMA modeling was performed for the generation and forecasting of weekly ETr values. The steps viz. standardization and normalization of time series variables, identification of the models, determination of the parameters of selected models, diagnostic checking and selection of the best model were performed for fitting the models. The ARIMA(1,1,0)(1,0,1)52, ARIMA(1,1,1)(0,1,1)52, ARIMA(1,1,1)(0,1,1)52 and ARIMA(0,1,1) (0,1,1)52 models were selected for forecasting and generation of weekly ETr values. The forecasted water to be applied were estimated from the crop coefficient, wetted area, total area of the tree and efficiency of the drip irrigation system for the pomegranate tree of 1st to 5th year age. These are: for Solapur station-3.1, 7.1, 19.5, 27.3 and 35.4 litres/day/tree; for Ahmednagar station -2.8, 6.5, 17.7, 24.8, and 32.2 litres/day/tree; for Pune station -2.5, 5.7, 15.9, 22.3, and 28.9 litres/day/tree; for Nasik station 3.3, 7.7, 21.5, 30.18, and 39.4 litres/day/tree.

The study was conducted to know the appropriate probability distribution for weekly reference crop evapotranspiration (ETr) values at desired probability levels for Solapur, Ahmednagar, Pune and Nasik stations of Maharashtra, India. ETr values were estimated by Penman-Monteith, Modified Penman, Hargreaves-Samani, Pan Evaporation, Blanney-Criddle, and Radiation methods. Based on the root mean square error, Hargraves-Samani found to be the best method for Solapur and Nasik stations and Modified Penman for Ahmednagar and Pune stations. The probability distribution functions selected were Normal, Log Normal, Gamma, Gumbel and Weibull's. Results of probability distribution analysis indicated that, more than one probability distributions were found suitable for finding weekly ETr values. ETr values estimated at 20 %, 60 % and 90 % probability levels in graphical representation for all the methods using the probability distribution of the best fitted were presented. The weekly values at 70 % probability level of ETr were determined and presented for ready reference.

Availability of large number of disease free genuine planting material is a major constraint in expanding area under pomegranate cultivation for which tissue culture can be explored as an alternative tool to fulfil the demand for elite planting material. In the first part of the study an efficient in vitro propagation protocol for pomegranate cv. G-137 (a superior clone of "Ganesh") has been developed. Improper hardening of in vitro raised plantlets leads to high field mortality and poor growth of plantlets which act as a hurdle in popularization of in vitro propagation in pomegranate. So, in the second part of the study four different arbuscular mycorrhizal fungi (AMF) strains namely, Glomus mosseae, Acaulospora laevis, Glomus manihotis and a mixed AMF strain were used as biohardening agents to improve survival and growth of in vitro raised pomegranate plantlets. The above said AMF strains were also used in this study to enhance the performance of pomegranate hardwood cuttings in terms of high success rate and subsequently improved growth, physiological and biochemical attributes of cutting derived plants.